Container handling and registering apparatus



'Aug- 18, 1942- J. MAGNUSSON 2,293,553

CONTAINER HANDLING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS Filed July 30, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l I --TLL'-.-.-L

INVENTOR L m wmm. a sa-:6, New

ATTORNEY Aug. 18, 1942. J MAGNUSSON 2,293,553

CONTAINER HANDLING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS Filed July so, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g- 18, 1942- J. MAGNUSSON 2,293,553

CONTAINER HANDLING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS Filed July so, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR a. ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 18, 1942 CONTAINER HANDLING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS Joseph Magnusson, Wollaston, Mass., assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, Quincy, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 30, 1940, Serial No. 348,535

6 Claims.

This invention relates to container handling 7 and registering apparatus.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and highly efilcient apparatus for handling containers, such as bottles, of the type having letters or characters formed in the body portion thereof, such as raised letters or characters molded in the glass of bottles, and for registering the containers with respect to the conveying portion of the apparatus, to the end that subsequent operations, such as the labeling of the bottle or container, may be accomplished with the application of the label to predetermined desired portions of the body of the bottle or container. The invention contemplates container handling and registering apparatus which is positive in operation and lends itself to operation upon various types cfcontainer or bottles having letters or configurations formed on the body thereof of various sizes, styles and outlines.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the container handling and registering apparatus and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is an end View,

partly in cross-section, of a sufficient portion of a labeling machine embodying the present invention to enable it to be understood; Fig. 2 is a plan view detail of mechanism for supporting and aligning the upper portion of the container; Fig. 3 is a plan view detail of a portion of the driving mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5 are plan and side elevations respectively of the registering device shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 6 and 7 are detail plan views in different positions of operation of portions of the registering apparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 5; Fig. 8 is a perspective View of resetting mechanism, to be referred to; Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the driving mechanism forming part of the present registering apparatus; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a container showing a detecting finger in operative engagement therewith; Figs. 11 and 12 are detail views in plan and side elevation respectively of the upper supporting belt, to be referred to; and Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail plan View showing the construction of the pawls for engaging the driving mechanism shown in Fig. 9.

In general, the invention contemplates handling and registering apparatus in which provision is made for conveying a series of containers which for convenience of description will be hereinafter referred to as bottles, and for registering successive bottles in predetermined relation to the conveyer so that when the line of bottles is conveyed to subsequent instrumentalities, such as labeling mechanism, the application of the label may be effected at predetermined portions of the body of the bottle. The invention, in its preferred form, is designed for operation upon bottles of substantially cylindrical shape having raised letters or characters formed on the body thereof, and contemplates mechanism for cooperating with successive bottles as they are being conveyed for detecting the raised lettering or other characters on the body of the bottle and for registering such portion of the bottle in definite position with respect to the 'conveyer, so that as the bottles are conveyed to subsequent instrumentalities, additional operations, such as labeling operations may be effected upon desired predetermined portions of the body of the bottle. To this end the apparatus is provided with feeling mechanism designed to detect said raised portions of the bottle and also with mechanism for rotating the bottles until such feeling mechanism indicates that the raised portions of the bottle have assumed their predetermined position with relation to the conveyor, whereupon provision is made for discontinuing the rotation of the bottle with respect to the conveyor. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottle rotating means is arranged to be positively stopped immediately after detection of the raised portions on the bottle by the feeling member.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, the registering apparatus, indicated generally at H], is herein illustrated as embodied in a labeling machine which may be of any usual or preferred type, and which may include a movable support such as a belt I2 adapted to be intermittently moved to present the bottles I5 to successive stations for applying a label and for pressing the label against the bottle. The bottle 14 herein illustrated, is provided with a raised portion I6 which may be either a projection formed on the surface thereof or may be part of lettering molded in the bottle.

In the operation of the commercial labeling machine, the bottles 14 are fed from a source of supply onto the belt l2, without reference to the position of the lettering thereon with relation to the supporting belt I2. The bottles are preferably placed upon the intermittently movable conveyer belt l2 in predetermined spaced relation for registration with the labeling mechanisms. In accordance with the present invention, successive bottles are moved into operative position with relation to the registering apparatus 19 prior to being presented to the subsequent mechanisms for applying the label, whereby the container may be rotated on its vertical axis until it assumes a predetermined position with relation to the belt I2 so that when the containers are subsequently presented to the labeling mocha of the labeling machine.

anisms, they will be properly positioned with relation thereto to apply the labels in the desired location on the bottles.

Provision is also made, in the commercial labeling machines now upon the market, for supporting the top of the bottles as they are conveyed through the machine and, as herein shown, such support is effected by an endless chain I 6 having a plurality of pads 26 adapted to yieldingly engage the top of the bottles and to be moved along with the bottles at the same rate of speed as the belt I2. The chain I 8 is arranged to be pressed downwardly by a flexible steel strip 22 supported upon pins 24 mounted to be capable of vertical movement in a frame member 26 The strip 22 is urged into engagement with the top of the lower run of the chain I6 by springs 23 as clearly shown in Figs. 11 and 12. In order to free the bottle I6 3 from such pressure to permit rotation thereof, as will be described, provision is made for raising the pad 26 from engagement with its bottle and, as illustrated in Fig. 1, raising of the pad is effected through connections from a cam 36- fast upon a cam shaft 32 forming part of the labeling machine. As shown in Figs. 1, 11, 12, each pad is mounted on a transverse member 34 which is guided between stationary angle rails 36.

mally disposed to form an extension of the rails 36. An elongated stud 46 connected to the movable member 68 and vertically movable in the frame member 26 is normally urged downwardly, The upper end of the stud 66" by a spring 62, is provided with a washer 46 arranged to be engaged by one arm 66 of a lever pivotally mounted on a stud 48 secured in the machine frame. A

The rails 36 are open at the bottle registering station and a movable member 38 is norsecond arm 56 of the lever is connected by a link 52 to one arm 56 of a cam lever rockingly'=' mounted on a stud 56 secured in a bracket 58 A spring 63,

apparatus III, the cam 36 operates to raise the.,.

movable member 38 which engages the ends of the transverse member 64 to remove the pad 26 from engagement with the bottle and render ineffective the pressure of the flexible strip 22.

Simultaneously with the removal of the pad 26 from operative engagement with the bottle,

provision is made for eiiecting lateral support for the upper or neck portion of the bottle. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a stationary roller 64 is arranged to bear against one side of the neck portion of the bottle. The stationary roller is carried in an angle piece 66 adjustably mounted in a stationary bracket 66. The other side of the neck portion is supported by two rollers 76, 72 rotatably mounted in an angle piece 74 which is similarly mounted for vertical adjustment in an angle bracket 76. The angle bracket 76 is attached to a carrier 78 slidingly mounted in a bracket 86 and is arranged to be reciprocated laterally to urge the rollers 76, 72 into yielding engagement with the neck portion of the bottle through connections from the pad raising mechanism, as illustrated in Fig. 1. These connections include a third arm 62 of the lever pivotally mounted at d3 which is connected by a link 84 to one arm 66 of a bell-crank rockingly mounted at 88, the second arm 60 being connected by a rod 62 to a lug 94 attached to the carrier 78. The lug 94 extends through a slot 96 provided in the bracket 86. The rod 92 is slidingly fitted in the lug 94 and a coil spring 66 on the rod 92 is arranged to urge the lug 94 against a nut I66 provided on the rod 62. In operation, when the cam 36 is operated to effect raising of the pad 26, as described, the carrier 78 is moved inwardly to present the rollers 76, 72 into engagement with the neck of the bottle, which, in cooperation with the stationary roller 66 form a three point bearing against the bottle neck to assure axial alignment of the bottle at right angles to the conveyer during the rotation thereof as will be described. The spring 66 permits yielding engagement of the rollers 76, 72 against .the bottle, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 1 and 5, the bottle rotating and registering mechanism therein shown comprises a driving unit I62 including a pair of driven rollers I66, I66, and an opposing unit I08 including an idler roll III! and a detecting finger III. The driving unit I62 is mounted upon a carrier H2 arranged to be reciprocated, transversely of the container supporting belt I2, in a slide bracket IE6 mounted on the platen H6 of the machine frame. The idler roll unit I68 is similarly mounted on a carrier H8 slidingly mounted in a bracket I26 attached to the platen I I6.

Provision is made for simultaneously reciprocating the units I62, I08 toward and from each other to present the rollers I66, I66, and III] into and out of operative engagement with the bottle I6 in timed relation to the intermittent movement of the belt I2. As herein shown, the reciprocation of each unit is effected through connections from a cam I22 mounted fast on the cam shaft 32 including a cam roller I24 carried by a cam lever 26 and cooperating with a cam path I28 formed in the closed cam I22. The cam lever E26 is rockingly mounted on the stud 56 and is connected to one arm I36 of a two-armed lever pivotally mounted on a stud I32 carried in a bracket I34 attached to the machine frame. In order to reciprocate the unit I68, a second arm I36 of the two-armed lever is connected by a link I68 to 9, depending lug I 66 fixed in the carrier II 8. The link I 36 is slidingly extended through the lug I66 and a coil spring I42 on the link I38 permits the idler roller III! to be yieldingly pressed into engagement with the bottle, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

The driving unit IE2 is arranged to be reciprocated by connections including a link I44 connecting the arm I66 to an arm I46 pivotally mounted on a stud I68 carried in a bracket I50 attached to the machine frame. The arm I46 is provided with a slotted portion I52 in which a slide block I54, carried in one arm 556 of a bellcrank I58 is arranged to be received. The bell crank I58 is rockingly mounted in a bracket I60 attached to the platen H6, and the second arm I62 of the bell-crank is connected by a link I64 to a depending lug I 66 attached to the carrier II2, as shown in Fig. 1.

Provision is made for driving the rollers I64, I66 through connections from the cam shaft, 32, and as herein shown, a gear I76 fast on the cam shaft is arranged to mesh with a pinion I72 fast on a shaft I74 carried in a bracket I76, see Fig. 3. A bevel gear I 77 also fast on the shaft I7 meshes with'a bevel gear I76 fast on a vertical shaft I86 which is arranged to drive a spindle I82, through a universal joint connection I35 so as to permit the driving mechanism to operate during the reciprocal movement of the carrier H2.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, the upper end of the spindle I82 is provided with a clutch housing I93 fast thereon which forms part of a friction clutch having a plurality of disks I92 arranged to frictionally engage and drive an elongated hollow member I94 fitted over the spindle I82 and which is rotatably mounted in a roller bearing I88 carried in the carrier member H2. As best shown in Fig. 9, alternate disks I92 are arranged to grip the upper portion I98 or the member I94 and a coil spring 2% arranged to compress the disks I92 may be adjusted to effect more or less frictional pressure by rotating a nut 2132 on a threaded portion 2% of the member I9 5. The lower end of the member E94 is provided with a gear 286 formed integrally therewith which meshes with pinions 2E8, ZIE) keyed to the lower ends of vertical shafts 2H2, 2M respectively upon which the rollers I54, I66, are mounted, as shown in Fig. 4. The elongated driven member B95 is supported vertically on the spindle I82 by a thrust bearing 2H5, and a collar 2i8 formed integrally with the shaft 82 is supported by a bracket 223 attached to the underside of the carrier H2. The vertical shafts 2E2, 2M are rotatably mounted in roller bearings 222, 2245 held in suitable bearing brackets 22%, 228, as best shown in Fig. 9. The rollers I65, I83 are preferably provided with rubber rings for engagement with the bottle, and the rollers are arranged to be adjusted vertically on the shafts 252, Ht. As shown in Fig. 9, each shaft is provided with an elongated key 232 to prevent rotation of the rolls on the shafts, and set screws 235i hold the rolls vertically on the shafts.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 4 through 8, provision is made for stopping and starting the frictionally driven member I84 to terminate the rotation of the driven rollers Hid, Idfi, when the bottle has been rotated to a predetermined position with relation to the conveyor belt I2. As herein shown, the driven member IQQ is provided with a ratchet 235 keyed thereon which is arranged to be engaged by one of a pair of pawls 238, pivotally mounted in the carrier H2. As shown in detail in Fig. 13, one pawl 238 is made slightly shorter than its companion pawl 24%, by a distance of one half a tooth of the ratchet, in order to permit either pawl to fall into the nearest tooth of the ratchet thereby enabling the driven unit IM to be stopped more quickly. with a spring 252 which normally urges the pawls into operative engagement with its ratchet.

Provision is made for engaging and disengaging the pawls from the ratchet, to stop and start rotation of the driving unit and bottle rotating rollers through connections from the detecting finger III so as to permit rotation of the bottle to be terminated when the detectihg finger is moved by the projection I 5 on the bottle. The detecting finger III is mounted fast on a vertical shaft 254 rockingly mounted in suitable bearings 2&5, 26% attached to a bracket 2% mounted on the reciprocating carrier H8. The lower end of the vertical shaft 24 1 is provided with a lever 252 carrying a roller 254 arranged to engage one end 255 of a cam bar 251 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a stud 258 secured in a bracket Ziiil attached to the platen Ht. lhe detecting finger III is free to rock in either direction between limits Each pawl is provided determined by adjustment of stop screws 262 carried in the lower bearing member 248, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The other end 264 of the pivotally mounted cam bar 25! is arranged to be engaged by a roller 2% carried by a lever 268 mounted fast on the lower end of a stud 2m, rockingly mounted in a bracket 212 attached to the carrier H2. A spring 214 attached to the end 258 of the cam bar 25! normally urges the bar against the roller 25:! to move the detecting finger into operative engagement with the bottle being rotated. The upper end of the stud 2'56 is provided with a latch member 2.?6 arranged to engage the tail portions of the pawls E38, 229 to hold them out of engagement with the ratchet 23$. A spring Zlfi attached to a stud 28% in the lever 268 is arranged to urge the latch member 2E6 into latching position, and also to cause the roller 2% to engage the cam bar end 26 In the operation of the apparatus thus far described, when the opposing units Hi2, IE3 are moved inwardly to cause the rollers I26, 285, and lit to engage the bottle, the roller H24, H35 are driven to rotate the bottle through the connections described. When the projection It on the bottle engages the detecting finger III, the shaft 2 36 is rocked which rocks the cam bar 25? to move the latch out of th path of the tail portions of the pawls 233, to permit them to engage the ratchet 236 to stop the driven member led and the rollers IE5, IE6. The friction clutch, including the housing I99 and the disks 592, is permitted to slip on the driven member i9 1 while the pawls 238, 249 are in engagement with the ratchet Provision is made for resetting the detecting mechanism and for removing the pawls 235, 240 from engagement with the ratchet upon the return movement of the driving unit I62, and as herein shown, the resetting mechanism includes a bell crank 28-2 pivotally mounted on a stud 2B4 attached to the carrier H2. One arm of the bell crank is provided with a resetting pin see arranged to engage the tail portions of the pawls 233, to disengage the same from the ratchet and to permit the latch member 215 to fall into latching position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7. The other arm of the bell crank 232 is provided with a cam roll 292 arranged to cooperate with a stationary cam piece 294 mounted on the slide bracket H i. A spring 2% is arranged to hold the roll against its cam. Normally when the unit Hi2 is in its advanced or operative position against the bottle, the roll 2.92 is against the low portion of the cam piece 2% to hold the resetting pin Zfiii out of engagement with the tail portions of the pawls. When the unit is retracted, the roll 292 rides upon the high spot of the cam piece 294, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7, to disengage the pawls 238, to from the ratchet 238 and to permit the latch Ei't to be moved into locking position.

Throughout the foregoing specification, and in the claims, it will be understood that wherever the term bottle is used, it is intended to include any type of container adapted to be rotated into a predetermined position with respect to its conveying element. It will also be understood that wherever the word lettering is used, it is intended to include any other projections, designs or characters formed upon the surface of the container adapted to be engaged by a detecting finger and to actuate control mechanism for positioning a container in a predetermined position with relation to its conveying element.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. Bottle handling and registering apparatus having, in combination, means for conveying successive bottles having lettering formed on the surface thereof, and bottle registering mechanism for registering the bottle with the lettering disposed in predetermined position with respect to the conveying means, comprising detecting means for detecting the lettering, means for rotating the bottle, and connections between the detecting means and said bottle rotating means for terminating rotation of the bottle when the lettering is detected, and guiding means including a plurality of rollers engaging the neck portion of the bottle for assuring rotation of the bottle about a vertical axis.

2. Bottle handling and registering apparatus having, in combination, means for conveying successive bottles having lettering formed on the surface thereof, and bottle registering mechanism for registering the bottle with the lettering disposed in predetermined position with respect to the conveying means, comprising detecting means for detecting the lettering, means for rotating the bottle, and connections between the detecting means and said bottle rotating means for terminating rotation of the bottle when the lettering is detected, and guiding means including a plurality of rollers cooperating with the neck portion of the bottle for assuring rotation of the same about a vertical axis.

3. Bottle handling and registering apparatus having, in combination, means for conveying successive bottles having lettering formed on the surface thereof, and bottle registering mechanism for registering the bottle with the lettering disposed in predetermined position with respect to the conveying means, comprising detecting means for detecting the lettering, means for rotating the bottle, and connections between the detecting means and said bottle rotating means for terminating rotation of the bottle when the lettering is detected, and means engageable with the top of said bottles for clamping the latter in said registered position after the rotation thereof has been terminated.

4. Bottle handling and registering apparatus having, in combination, an intermittently operative belt for conveying successive bottles having lettering formed on the surface thereof, and bottle registering mechanism for registering the bottle with the lettering disposed in predetermined position with respect to said belt, comprising a reciprocable member having a roller adapted to engage said bottle when moved into one position of operation,-a detecting finger carried by said reciprocable member and arranged to engage the surface of said bottle, an opposed reciprocable member having a pair of driven rollers engageable with said bottle to cause rotation thereof when moved into operative position therewith, means for driving said rollers, means for simultaneously reciprocating said members to move said rollers into and out of operative engagement with the bottle in timed relation to the movement of said intermittently operative belt,

and mechanical connections between said detecting finger and said driving means for terminating rotation of said driven rollers when'said lettering is detected, and means operable upon retracting movement of said opposed reciprocable member for again initiating rotation of said driven rollers.

5. Bottle handling and registering apparatus having, in combination, means for conveying successive bottles having lettering formed on the surface thereof, and bottle registering mechanism for registering the bottle with the lettering disposed in predetermined position with respect to the conveying means, comprising detecting means for detecting the lettering, a slide member, means for reciprocating said slide member, means for rotating the bottle including a friction drive carried by said slide member, said friction drive having a continuously rotating driving part and a driven part, means for locking said driven part against rotation while said driving part is rotating to thereby produc slippagein said friction drive, means operable by said detecting means for actuating said locking means to terminate rotation of the bottle when the lettering is detected, and means for releasing said looking means operable in response to retractive movement of said slide.

6. Bottle handling and registering apparatus, having, in combination, an intermittently operative belt for conveying successive bottleshaving lettering formed on the surface thereof, and bottle registering mechanism for registering a bottle with the lettering disposed in predetermined position with respect to said belt, comprising a reciprocable member having an idler roller adapted to engage said bottle when moved into one position of operation, a shaft rotatably carried by said reciprocable member, a detecting finger and an arm fixedly mounted upon said shaft, said detecting finger being arranged to have one end thereof engage the surface of said bottle, a second reciprocable member having a pair of driven rollers engageable with said bottle to cause rotation thereof when moved into operative engagement therewith, means for imparting rotation to said rollers including a friction drive having a driving part and a driven part, a ratchet fixed to said driven part, pawl means pivotally mounted upon said second reciprocable member and adapted to engage said ratchet, a rotatable shaft carried by said second reciprocable member and having a lever at one end thereof arranged to normally hold said pawl means disengaged and an arm at the opposite end thereof, a lever having its fulcrum between said two shafts and arranged to have one end thereof engaged by the arm associated with said detecting finger and its opposite end arranged to engage the arm associated with the lever normally maintaining said pawl means disengaged, whereby when said lettering is detected said detecting finger will effect a release of said pawl means and enable the same to engage said ratchet to lock said driven part against rotation and thus stop rotation of said bottle through said driving rolls, and means for simultaneously moving said reciprocable members to move said idler roller, said detecting finger and said driving rolls into and out of operative engagement with the bottle in timed relation to the movement of said intermittently operated belt.

JOSEPH MAGNUSSON. 

